Makai Lemon termed the experience of chatting with Mike McCarthy as “a blessing.”
Jordyn Tyson referred to McCarthy as “a legend.”
Antonio Williams said he had “a great meeting” with McCarthy, the newly hired Pittsburgh Steelers coach.
There’s no truth to the rumor that every one of the nearly four dozen wide receivers at the NFL Combine had a sitdown with McCarthy this week.
But to say that every one of them who is projected to be drafted in the first two or three rounds? That might not be far fetched.
During media availabilities Friday at Indiana Convention Center, among scores of WR prospects, several confirmed having formal or informal discussions with the Steelers.
That, of course, doesn’t guarantee that the Steelers will use their first- or second- or any of their projected three third-round picks on a wide receiver. But it is a signal that they are leaving no stone unturned in investigating that possibility.
General manager Omar Khan listed receiver as one of the best position groups for prospects for the late-April draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh. But he adhered to his poker face in regards to repeated attempts to elicit an answer about the Steelers’ interest level at WR.
“Not just a receiver,” Khan said when asked if there was a sense of urgency to add to what was an underwhelming position group in 2025. “We weren’t good enough. I mean, we didn’t win a playoff game. We didn’t reach our goal. So every position group needs looked at and improved. If it’s not good enough, we’ve got to be better in all those groups.”
It’s clear the Steelers have to be better at wide receiver coming off a season in which only one WR on the team had more than 31 catches or 372 receiving yards.
Calvin Austin III was that player who ranked No. 2 in each category among WRs for the Steelers, but his totals ranked 143rd and 110th, respectively, among all players in the NFL in 2025.
Even the Steelers’ No. 1 wide receiver, DK Metcalf, placed just 28th in the league in receiving yards (850) and tied for 47th in catches (59).
“I don’t think we were good enough overall,” Khan said Monday in Indianapolis when asked a separate question about improving the wide receivers corps. “We didn’t win a single playoff game. That’s not good enough. So, we have to be better at every position.”
The good news about an upgrade at WR is that there really isn’t much of a choice than to initiate changes. Only three players with NFL experience are under contract for 2026: Metcalf, Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek.
Skowronek is a Pro Bowler for his special-teams prowess but a mere depth receiver. Wilson has been a healthy scratch for as many games through his first two NFL seasons as he has career catches (12). A former third-round pick, time is running out for him to make an impact.
That leaves a massive need for an upgrade for a running mate for Metcalf, who 51 weeks ago, was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks for a second-round draft pick and immediately signed to a five-year, $150 million contract.
What type of player would best complement Metcalf as a WR2? Asked at the combine, Khan again demurred to elaborate.
“We have characteristics of every position,” Khan said in Indianapolis. “Obviously, I don’t want to talk publicly about what those are, but, yeah, there’s a specific type of player, not only at receiver, but at the other positions.”
Judging by the wide range of prospects the Steelers invested time into speaking with at the combine, the organization is casting a wide net.
Among the most widely distributed and respected draft ranking outlets, there is a clear consensus top six at wide receiver. The Steelers at the combine had meetings (formal or informal) with all of them: Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Tyson of Arizona State, USC’s Lemon, Washington’s Denzel Boston, Indiana’s Omar Cooper and KC Concepcion of Texas A&M. Each is expected to be picked by the end of the first round, the first four of whom almost assuredly so.
Other receiver prospects who publicly confirmed meetings with the Steelers or reportedly had done so include many who are expected to be drafted at some point during the first half of the April 23-25 draft: Clemson’s Williams, De’Zhaun Stribling of Ole Miss, Elijah Sarratt of Indiana, Germie Bernard of Alabama, Oklahoma’s Deion Burks, Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields, Kaden Wetjen of Iowa and Zachariah Branch of Georgia.
“Second round, there’s wide receivers galore that are going to be there,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said during a conference call with media last week. “There are really, really good players that I think it’s literally all shapes and sizes.”
The Steelers, seemingly, aren’t ruling out any of them.